French nihonto

The only minor issue I see with this is that, in an airtight or nearly airtight space, the oxygen will eventually be consumed—by microorganisms, etc.—and turn into carbon dioxide. In the presence of moisture, carbon dioxide converts into carbonic acid. However, I think it would take a very long time for the oxygen to be used up, and in a worst-case scenario, since the humidity is very low, the chemical reaction that creates acid wouldn't occur. To verify this, I’m going to buy a small oxygen indicator.

Yes, I applied a very thin layer of oil to the blade—though I did hesitate. I believe Aoi advises against it because the oil dries relatively quickly; once the blade is exposed to higher humidity, that dried oil layer tends to absorb moisture. However, I think this is easily remedied by simply wiping the blade down with 99% alcohol immediately after taking it out.

To wrap up this topic: I used Uchiko (which I don't usually use on my blades) to remove tiny rust spots, and they came off very quickly. I placed the bare blade inside a glass display dome with a dehumidifier packet. It has been in there for four days now. The internal humidity fluctuates between 27% and 30%; it has been at 30% for a full day, which is more than sufficient—and this also proves that the dome is virtually airtight.

Sorry guys, I sold it for a ridiculously low price two weeks ago.😅

The lower the humidity, the lower the dew point at the base of the object, I believe?

Thank you for your reply. I hadn’t had any problems before. I already have dehumidification systems near the blades. Before sealing the blade in an airtight enclosure, I will of course run tests and take humidity readings. The goal would be 30–40%, but above all, ensuring there is absolutely no fluctuation.

Hello, gentlemen. A few days ago, I was performing maintenance on one of my katanas, a Nanbokuchō-period piece I’ve owned for nearly ten years now. To my surprise, I found a few small rust spots on the mune near the kissaki, a first for any of my blades. I’ve encountered this sort of issue before with blades I’ve received after long shipping periods, and I’ve always managed to resolve it, but it had never happened to a blade while in my care. I’m not overly worried; I’ve started a treatment protocol involving regular oiling. I usually leave only a very thin layer of oil on my blades, but I’m going to apply a thicker coat to help stabilize the situation. Mostly, I’ve been trying to figure out the cause. It is true that we’ve had a particularly hot summer, but the storage room maintained a humidity level of between 50% and 65%, not perfect, but not too bad either. I suspect the shirasaya. The blade is stored in an old shirasaya likely pre-war, so it is probably contaminated and past its useful life. The ideal solution would be to send the blade to Japan for a new shirasaya, but the shipping is long, and I’m uneasy about such a lengthy trip through humid environments with a contaminated mount, especially since the blade’s polish is still in excellent condition. I’ve considered another option, which brings me to my question: storing the bare blade under a Plexiglas dome (see photo), museum-style, and making it as airtight as possible. I found a company that sells the dehumidification units used in museums; since the blade would be bare unmounted , lower humidity would be better ( 30% target ) However, even in Japan, museums rotate their collections to preserve the blades, despite having optimal display conditions. So, what are the risks associated with this type of storage in the short, medium, and long term? I’d be interested to hear from anyone with experience in museum exhibitions. I’m also aware of the issue regarding UV exposure—what about that? Happy to hear your thoughts Max

Price drop: €3,300

Hello NMB members, I am offering for sale a signed Japanese katana from my personal collection. Description: * Type: Katana * Signature (Mei): Bungo Takada-ju Fujiwara Hiroyuki Saku * School: Bungo Takada * Period: Edo period (to be confirmed) * Nagasa: 69.2 cm * Sori: 1.2 cm Workmanship: * Hada: Itame-hada * Hamon: Gunome-choji The blade shows a classic Bungo Takada style with a well-defined hamon and visible grain structure. The blade has been discussed on this page the paperwork for it was almost certainly lost, but in my opinion, there is no doubt about the signature. Condition: The blade is in overall good condition. Mounting: The sword comes with a koshirae. A wooden blade (tsunagi) is currently fitted inside the koshirae to preserve the mounting. Additional Information: This blade has been part of my collection and is offered as-is. I can provide additional photos of the nakago, hamon, boshi, and koshirae upon request. Price: 3600€ + shipping Location: France Payment: [PayPal / bank transfer] Please feel free to contact me via private message for further details. Thank you for your interest. Best regards,

Beautiful sword. Bungo blades from that era are true warrior blades. I'm sorry, but seeing a blade lying on the ground always breaks my heart.

I would be curious to know the motohaba and sakihaba of the blade with the bo-hi. I don't know if it's an optical effect but it doesn't seem to have much difference, and seems to have a fairly solid width. Taking the dimensions of the boshi could also help.

I really like Hizen's work, I think he's too underrated.

At the time, I posted this video, showing late Edo shirasaya swords from the shogun's collection. https://youtu.be/-uuKZEkuwUc?si=WqrikoHZH1GFcejr